Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Joe Rogan

Public opinion and media debates around Joe Rogan—discover key moments of controversy.

Joe Rogan is an American podcaster, comedian, and UFC color commentator. He is best known for hosting 'The Joe Rogan Experience,' a highly popular podcast. The podcast has been the most-streamed on Spotify since 2020, featuring a wide range of guests and discussions. Rogan has also worked as an actor and television host.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1993: First made the claim of joke thievery

In 1993, Joe Rogan first made the claim that Carlos Mencia stole jokes.

2005: Accused Carlos Mencia of joke thievery

In 2005, Joe Rogan accused Carlos Mencia of joke thievery in a blog entry on his website.

February 2007: Confronted Carlos Mencia on stage

In February 2007, Joe Rogan confronted Carlos Mencia on stage at The Comedy Store in Hollywood over accusations of joke thievery.

2010: Accusation of joke thievery

In 2010, Joe Rogan accused comedian Dane Cook of stealing jokes, sparking controversy in the comedy world. This event occurred in 2010.

April 2021: Contentious remarks about COVID-19 vaccines

In April 2021, Joe Rogan made contentious remarks about COVID-19 vaccines, particularly regarding young and healthy people, drawing criticism from experts and media outlets. This event occurred in April 2021.

September 1, 2021: Joe Rogan Tests Positive for Virus and Begins Treatment

On September 1, 2021, Joe Rogan tested positive for a virus. He announced that he was undergoing a treatment regimen that included monoclonal antibodies, prednisone, azithromycin, NAD drip, a vitamin drip, and ivermectin. This caused controversy because ivermectin is not considered an effective treatment for viruses like COVID-19 by many medical experts. Some individuals were reportedly hospitalized after self-medicating with an over-the-counter version of ivermectin intended for livestock.

January 2022: Scientists and Doctors Express Concern Over Rogan's Podcast

In January 2022, a group of 270 scientists, physicians, professors, doctors, and healthcare workers penned an open letter to Spotify voicing their concerns about "false and societally harmful assertions" made on The Joe Rogan Experience. They urged Spotify to implement a clear and public policy to moderate misinformation on its platform, particularly related to the COVID-19 pandemic. They specifically cited an episode featuring Robert W. Malone, who had promoted vaccine misinformation.

January 24, 2022: Neil Young Demands Spotify Remove His Music Over Rogan's Podcast

On January 24, 2022, Neil Young published an open letter demanding that Spotify remove his music if they did not remove The Joe Rogan Experience. Young stated that "Spotify has a responsibility to mitigate the spread of misinformation on its platform".

February 4, 2022: Removal of episodes by Spotify

On February 4, 2022, Spotify removed 70 episodes of The Joe Rogan Experience that pre-dated the COVID-19 pandemic, due to concerns over racially insensitive language. This event occurred on February 4, 2022.

February 2022: Spotify removes episodes of The Joe Rogan Experience

In February 2022, Spotify removed 113 episodes of The Joe Rogan Experience due to concerns over racist and insensitive language. This event occurred in February 2022.

February 2022: Controversy over racial slur usage

In February 2022, singer India Arie shared a compilation of Joe Rogan using a racial slur on The Joe Rogan Experience, leading to controversy and Rogan's apology. A number of UFC fighters defended Rogan. This event occurred in February 2022.

April 2022: Criticism of Transgender Swimmer Lia Thomas

In April 2022, Joe Rogan commented on transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, saying she "might be the woke straw that breaks society's camel's back". He has voiced transphobic views and spread disinformation, claiming transgender people are the majority of high school shooters, which is false.

October 2022: Rogan Shares Litter Boxes in Schools Hoax

In October 2022, Joe Rogan shared the widely discredited litter boxes in schools hoax while interviewing Tulsi Gabbard on his show. He falsely claimed that public schools were providing litter boxes to students who dress up as cats. He later acknowledged that there was no proof but falsely claimed that the idea had been under consideration.

2022: Comments on Vladimir Putin

In 2022, Joe Rogan described Vladimir Putin as "evil" but "impressive" and a "strong leader", before calling the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine "100% wrong" in November 2024. These events occurred in 2022.

February 2023: Rogan Makes Comments About Jewish People and Money

During an episode of his podcast in February 2023, Joe Rogan stated the "idea that Jewish people are not into money is ridiculous." The Anti-Defamation League condemned Rogan's comment as reflecting "antisemitic tropes about Jews and money".

February 2024: Rogan Promotes Debunked Claims About AIDS and AZT

In a February 2024 podcast with Bret Weinstein, Joe Rogan promoted the debunked claim that party drugs such as poppers were "a very important factor in AIDS". He falsely claimed that the antiviral drug AZT killed people "quicker" than AIDS itself and praised AIDS denialist Peter Duesberg. The American Foundation for AIDS Research criticized the podcast for "disseminating false information".

March 2024: Comments on Israel's actions in Gaza

In March 2024, Joe Rogan described Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip as a "genocide" but later acknowledged writer Coleman Hughes' differing perspective. These events occurred in March 2024.

April 2024: Lawsuit filed against Onnit

In April 2024, a lawsuit was filed against Onnit, alleging that its 'Alpha BRAIN' supplement performed no better than a placebo in a clinical study and that the product was surrounded by "false, misleading and deceptive advertising". This event occurred in April 2024.

November 2024: Criticism of Biden and Zelenskyy

In November 2024, Joe Rogan criticized U.S. president Joe Biden for allowing Ukraine to strike mainland Russia with US-supplied missiles and criticized Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. These events occurred in November 2024.

January 10, 2025: Joe Rogan Interviews Mark Zuckerberg

On January 10, 2025, Joe Rogan interviewed Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. During the interview, Zuckerberg claimed that the Biden administration had pressured Facebook to remove posts that alleged COVID-19 vaccine side effects.

April 2025: Rogan Comments on the Re-emergence of the Disability Slur "Retard"

In April 2025, Joe Rogan stated that the re-emergence of the disability slur "retard" into the mainstream is "one of the greatest cultural victories that I think is spurred on, probably, by podcasts".

June 2025: Fitness Influencer Liver King Arrested After Threatening Rogan

In June 2025, fitness influencer Liver King was arrested after making violent consecutive threats against Joe Rogan on social media.

September 2025: Rogan Criticized for Misinterpreting Climate Chart

In September 2025, Joe Rogan was criticized by Jessica Tierney, a paleoclimatologist at the University of Arizona, for his interpretation of a global temperature chart. Rogan claimed that global temperatures are cooling, despite evidence favoring global warming, based on Tierney's chart.